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Interview with ZILLION
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
I don’t think I had a choice. It’s been in me since birth. There is no reality without music
How long has your band been around?
We’re only 11 shows deep, but we’ve been working on the record and they wild live show for 5 years
Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
Alaska born and raised, but I just had to move to Nashville because touring out of Alaska is too tough.
How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
I told my music teacher in school that I wanted to play music for a living, that I wanted to be in a rock band. She laughed and said “don’t do it, it’s a dumb idea. You’ve got a one in a zillion shot to make it.”
Tell me about your most memorable shows.
Every show is memorable for us right now. We’re only 11 shows into our career and we’re sharing the stage with Oxymorrons and Pop Evil every night. Dream come true. I’m now jumping back onstage and singing Trenches with Pop Evil every night, that’s rowdy. Our guitarist Eli did split my nose open show 1, so we’ve been wrestling onstage every night. I think it’s 6-4 my way right now
What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
Every venue has been special so far. Don’t play favorites
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Gandhi, Oprah, Boyz II Men, Chevelle, Issues, and ZILLION
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
Get better everyday. Perfect your craft and the rest will fall into place
If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?
Therapy. Beautiful art comes from dark places, but you’ve gotta be able to go into those places and still come out alive on the other side.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
One that hasn’t been released yet. Called Burial. Wrote it for my mom right after she passed Nov 2020
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
Only "Pocket Boy" and "Potluck Lunch for the Cannibals" are out, so people def shout for those. I think a song called I Am the One (hasn’t been released) might be the most fun to play
What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
Our trauma, loss, pain, love, redemption, and rebirth. It’s painful to write. It’s healing to write. Our live show, music, characters, videos are all part of this universe we’ve built on the backs of our own stories.
Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?
All the time. We get through them by playing pinfinger.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
When we get to the point where we’re headlining theaters, everything will change. We’ll be able to unleash the full cirque de sole, broadway, immersive hard rock show we’ve built.